FILTER Magazine #56

By Kurt Orzeck on June 17, 2014

A white-knuckle ride from start to finish, White Lung’s third album might find a place in the annals of indie rock: Rare is the band whose second release lands on esteemed top 10 lists, and rarer still is the band whose third release is even more of a success. With 10 blazing tracks averaging about two minutes each, the Vancouver band’s distinct brand of melodic punk might be too much to take, were it not for Mish Way’s cool command of the mic. Kenneth William’s guitars slither and bite, but it’s the singer’s finesse that establishes a security unbeknownst to most young bands—especially those of the punk-rock ilk. White Lung has drawn comparisons to Sleater-Kinney, no doubt because they at one point included three women among their ranks, but These Arms Are Snakes or At the Drive-In are more kindred spirits. Regardless, that’s some impressive company White Lung has elbowed its way into, post-haste.